Museveni tours Kenyatta family milk plant in Nairobi

President Yoweri Museveni invited the family of the late Kenyan leader, Jomo Kenyatta, to extend their dairy investment to Uganda.

By Vision Reporter

President Yoweri Museveni invited the family of the late Kenyan leader, Jomo Kenyatta, to extend their dairy investment to Uganda.

Kenyatta, who was Kenyaâ€™s first president, reigned between 1964â€“1978.

Museveni extended the invitation on Wednesday during a tour of the Nairobi-based Brookside Dairy Ltd owned by the Kenyatta family.

The factory runs a farm that produces over 400,000 litres of milk everyday in addition to milk deliveries from 70,000 farmers.

Brookside Dairy is the biggest dairy enterprise in East and Central Africa. It has a geographical market area in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa and established another branch in Tanzania in 2004.

The firm produces a range products, including UHT milk, yoghurt, butter and ghee.

During the tour of the dairy in Ruiru, central Nairobi, President Museveni saluted Kenyattaâ€™s sons, whom he said had upheld their fatherâ€™s legacy in politics as well as in business.

The President promised to support the family if they started a dairy enterprise in Uganda.

Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, the Kenyan deputy premier and Minister of Foreign Affair, plays the central role in the vast family business empire, which also includes five-star tourist hotels, airlines and commercial farming.

The President also toured Gicheha farm, another Kenyatta family enterprise. It has over 400 high-yielding cows, about 8,000 goats and sheep.

The farm products are sold locally and exports to Uganda, Tanzania, Sudan and Egypt.

Museveni, who returned to Uganda yesterday, had earlier in the week attended the 13th extra-ordinary session of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) hosted by President Mwai Kibaki.

As his convoy drove to the Malaba common border, the President made a stop over at Eldoret town, where he addressed hundreds of Kenyans who lined up the streets.

State House yesterday reported that Museveni told his audience that while in Kenya, he held talks with Kibaki, vice-president Kalonzo Musyoka and prime minister Raila Odinga on the construction of a modern and efficient railway line to ensure quick and speedy transportation of goods and services to and from Mombasa.

Museveni stressed the importance of the East African economic integration, saying it would accelerate the economic development in the member countries.

President Museveni also said the federation of East African countries would create a formidable population, which would attract investors.

He told the crowds that he was working with Kenyan leaders on Somalia and other regional issues and appealed to the populace them to support the initiative.

The President, who criticised the work ethic of Ugandan workers at the Kenyan border, called for a speedy clearing process and said the offices should be open 24 hours.